Recorded Range:Opuntia phaeacantha is found mostly in the southwest quarter of the United States in AZ, CA, CO, KS, NM, NV, OK, SD, TX and UT. It is also native throughout Baja California and Mexico. In Arizona it is found throughout much of the states few or no records for Yuma, Co.

Genus Information: In North America there are 52 species for Opuntia. Worldwide, The Plant List includes 194 accepted species names and a further 203 scientific names of infraspecific rank for the genus.

In the Southwestern United States: Arizona has 16 species of Opuntia, California and Utah each have 10 species, Nevada has 6 species, New Mexico has 13 species, Texas has 23 species. All data is approximate and subject to taxonomic changes.

Comments: Early Tulip Pricklypear plants and some varieties were classified as Cactus Apple, Opuntia engelmannii, for which this species might be confused with as a similar looking species.

Tulip Pricklypear has been used for food by southwestern United States indigenous peoples.

Havasupai Food, Beverage; Bread & Cake; Dried Food; Fruit; Tools; Plant used to make a drink; Dried fruit pounded into cakes for storage or pieces of cake eaten without further preparation; Fruits sun dried for future use; Fruits eaten fresh; Used in preparing pottery clay; Spines used to prick the design into the skin for tattooing.

Navajo Food, Beverage; Bread & Cake; Candy; Cooking Agent; Plant used to make fruit juice; Pad pulp formed into cakes, dried, stored for later use and fried or roasted; Pads peeled, sliced, roasted, boiled in sugar water, dried and eaten like candy; Seed flour used to thicken soups, puddings or fruit dishes.